The present invention relates to a DC plasma display panel (PDP) and driving method thereof, and more particularly to a double-pulse-memory (DPM) type DC PDP and driving method thereof which has high luminance, high discharge efficiency and improved response.
As developments in the field of HDTV continue, some outcomes have been obtained. As the developments proceed further, the importance of the picture display medium (or picture display device) has increased. Display devices such as color CRT's, liquid crystal displays (LCD), electroluminous (EL) flat panel displays a fluorescent displays, PDP's and the like, are expected to dominate the area of main display devices for a considerable period henceforth. However, in connection with the development of HDTVs, there is no one satisfactory display of yet, and they are mutual complements of one another.
Among such displays, the PDP is suitable for a large-size picture and becomes a most promising display in this field, because it is thin in spite of its large size and has high luminance and resolution as well as high contrast ratio.
Generally, according to a discharging method and depending upon its structure, a PDP is divided into DC and AC types. These types are further subdivided into memory and non-memory types. One category of DC memory type PDP's is studied and manufactured in the NHK Institute of Japan. This PDP incorporates a planar pulse memory (PPM) and uses a DC pulse voltage so that it has a memory function itself and supplies prime charged particles before a main discharge.
However, the PPM type PDP does not meet HDTV requirements in luminance, discharge efficiency and contrast ratio, and still needs further study. Notably, one of greatest defects in this PDP is its considerable power consumption as compared with other displays. This is due to a high driving voltage and supply of prime particles for controlling addressing time. Further, a pressing problem to be solved for PDPs is efficiency. The low efficiency of PDP's is disadvantageous in competing against other displays.
To overcome the problems, various aspects of PDPs have been studied; particularly in the areas of physical structure improvement and electrode material development. For instance, as an improvement of luminance, in a color PDP, the distance between electrodes is extended to obtain sufficient ultraviolet radiation. As an improvement of discharge efficiency, the cathode structure may be improved or its material may be changed to enhance the discharge efficiency of secondary electrons. Particularly in an auxiliary discharge type PDP, in order to efficiently produce charged particles and simultaneously utilize the produced charged particles, the structures of electrodes and their peripheral elements are improved. Meanwhile, the improvement in contrast ratio mainly pertains to the auxiliary discharge types, wherein the electrode array is altered to block auxiliary discharge light from being seen in front.
All the above studies on PDP's have proven to be unsatisfactory and, therefore, an adequate PDP has not been developed yet.
The present invention provides a PDP having improved discharge characteristics.